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About Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, commonly abbreviated as Santa Cruz Spanish: [santaˈkɾuθ, -ˈkɾus], locally: [sãⁿtaˈkɾuʰ]), is the capital (jointly with Las Palmas) of the Canary Islands, the capital of Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the island of Tenerife. Santa Cruz has a population of 206,593 (2013) within its administrative limits. The urban zone of Santa Cruz extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 507,306.This is the main city on the island of Tenerife with a population of nearly 1 million.

Located in northeast quadrant of Tenerife, about 210 kilometres (130 mi) off the northwestern coast of Africa within the Atlantic Ocean. Between the 1833 territorial division of Spain and 1927 Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of the Canary Islands, until 1927 when a decree ordered that the capital of the Canary Islands be shared, as it remains at present. The port is of great importance and is the communications hub between Europe, Africa and Americas, with cruise ships arriving from many nations. The city is the focus for domestic and inter-island communications in the Canary Islands.

The city is home to the Parliament of the Canary Islands, the Canarian Ministry of the Presidency (shared on a four-year cycle with Las Palmas), one half of the Ministries and Boards of the Canarian Government, (the other half being located in Gran Canaria), the Tenerife Provincial Courts and two courts of the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands. There are several faculties of the La Laguna University in Santa Cruz, including the Fine Arts School and the Naval Sciences Faculty. Its harbour is one of Spain's busiest; it comprises three sectors. It is important for commercial and passenger traffic, as well as for being a major stopover for cruisers en route from Europe to the Caribbean. The city also has one of the world's largest carnivals. The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife now aspires to become a World Heritage Site, and is the most important of Spain and the second largest in the world.

The main landmarks of the city include the Auditorio de Tenerife(Auditorium of Tenerife), the Santa Cruz Towers (Torres de Santa Cruz) and the Iglesia de la Concepción. Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosts the first headquarters of the Center UNESCO in the Canary Islands. The city is a melting pot of diverse cultures that give it a cosmopolitan character. The largest distinct communities have immigrants from: Latin America, Africa and Western Europe. In recent years the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has seen the construction of a significant number of modern structures and the city's skyline is the sixth in height across the country, only behind Madrid, Benidorm, Barcelona, Valenciaand Bilbao.

In 2012, the British newspaper The Guardian included Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the list of the five best places in the world to live.

History

The area on which now stands the city and the municipality of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has been the subject of human occupation since the time of the Guanches, approximately 2000 years ago, as attested by the archaeological sites found. The area was known to the Guanches, the first inhabitants of the island, asAñazo. Later, it became one of the most important ports of the Atlantic and the Canary Islands, a status it retains to this day. This former fishermen's village rose to prominence after a Volcano destroyed the port of Garachico in the 18th century. Santa Cruz became the major port on the Island. It first won its independence from La Laguna and, in the 19th century, was awarded the status of Capital of the Canary Islands province by King Ferdinand VII.

Between 1833 and 1927 Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of the Canary Islands. In 1927 a Royal decree ordered that the status of capital city of the Canary Islands would be shared with Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. This arrangement remains in place today.

In recent years, it has become clear that there exists a de facto union with neighbouring city San Cristobal de La Laguna (141,627 inhabitants as in 2005 census) due to the rapid population growth and reduction in undeveloped space between the cities, as their suburbs merged, forming a metropolitan area with 420,198 inhabitants (including the nearby municipalities of Tegueste, Candelaria and El Rosario). Regarding this situation, the mayor of Santa Cruz, Miguel Zerolo Aguilar and his La Laguna counterpart, Ana María Oramas Moro, both belonging to the Canarian Coalition, stated several times to local media that they shared a willingness to proceed to a full political union between their municipalities, even though the decision was postponed to a date after the local elections in 2007. As of 2012 the merger is no longer part of the political agenda.

The city as seen from San Andres' Industrial Estate, to the fund the auditorio and the skyscrapers.

Cultural areas

Auditorio de Tenerife: the work of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Is an emblematic building of Spanish architecture. The Tenerife Auditorium stands northeast of the Marine Park. Their great sailing boat simulating has become a symbol of the city, island and archipelago.The auditorium has two rooms and a chamber symphony. It is the seat of Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife and it holds, among other acts, the Festival de Ópera de Tenerife, the Classical Music Festival of the Canary Islands, the Tenerife International Film Music Festival and the delivery of awards Cadena Dial.

Guimerá Theater: Opened on 25 July 1851. Great 19th century building located in the central street of Angel Guimerá, is the oldest theater in the Canary Islands.

Museum of Fine Arts: This museum has, in addition to a fund with a deposit of works from the Prado Museum. Outstanding paintings by artists such as Peter Coeck, Ribera, Madrazo and Sorolla. As a fixed background, artists such as canaries Gaspar de Quevedo, Cristóbal Hernández de Quintana, and Juan Miranda González Méndez, among others.

Museum of Nature and Man: history, through pictures and objects, the Guanches. There is a room where is the formation of the Canary Islands. Among the archaeological finds shown are several Guanche mummies, including two mummified fetuses. There are a lot of Guanche skulls and reproductions of works of Africa and the pre-Columbian America among many other samples. It is a museum of international reputation since it has participated in international meetings on archeology.

Circulo de Bellas Artes: Founded in 1926 and based in Castle Street 43, is a cultural center that program of events, such as art exhibitions of painting and photography in the courtroom on the ground floor, directly accessible from the street. It has a cafeteria on the first floor.

Espacio Cultural El Tanque: In 1997 a former container tank at the refinery, there becomes exhibitions, dance and audio, alternative music, theater, classical music, new technologies and multimedia, among other productions.

Centro de Fotografía Isla de Tenerife: It has areas suitable for exhibition and study of traditional and contemporary photography.

The Art Room Recova: The Recova the Art Room is located in the old market town. Do not have a permanent collection, but are rotating exhibitions throughout the year.

TEA – Tenerife Espacio de las Artes: work of Herzog & de Meuron opened in 2008.

Urban sculptures

The city contains many pieces of sculpture, visible both in their places in their walks, so out of the fertility or Parque Garcia Sanabria Arbórea statue recalls a Sabina twisted by the wind.